Totally not muzzling the RCMP – really!

By dale_smithJan 21, 2012, 12:33 AM EST

Vic Toews denies that he is muzzling the
new commissioner of the RCMP and points to similar practices by Anne
McLellan when she was minister of public safety. None of which is terribly
believable, but so be it. There are legitimate questions to be raised about
proper channels as far as parliamentarians are concerned, and those channels
include things like requests before committees and so on – which is all well
and good. But one also has to wonder what effect losing the opportunity for more
casual conversations between parliamentarians and officials will have. That type of conversation can be a lot
more meaningful and beneficial at times, particularly in a case like this, where Senator Colin Kenny
has years of experience on the national security file and considerable insight into the problems the RCMP has experienced over the years. But for Toews to insist that he wants Conservative and NDP
representatives at such meetingsdoes a lot more to politicize such informal meetings than simply having
them does.

Reports are that Harper will duck out of
next week’s major summit with First Nation chiefs by lunchtime. Ostensibly it’s
because he has to head to Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum, but
seriously? Davos was not a surprise. He could have booked the summit for a day
that didn't conflict with his travel plans.

There are questions as to whether or not we expelled two diplomats from the Russian embassy here in Ottawa, which may or
may not have had to do with the naval intelligence officer arrested for passing
along information to foreign entities.

The
Canadian Press looks at some of the work that would
need to go into legalizing pot in Canada, and it’s a lot more work than one
might think.

Reminding us that this is not the 1990s and
we are not Greece, former clerk of the privy council Alex Himelfarb looks at the
social costs of the austerity that is being proposed.

The Liberals are taking issue with the way
that CIDA funds are being used to subsidize the corporate social responsibility
of Canadian extraction companies in developing countries.

Here is another look at the close
relationship between the Conservatives, the people behind Ethical Oil and
SunTV.

And the outgoing chair of the CRTC says the
regulatory body needs a major overhaul to get with the digital age. The
problem? The Conservatives were supposed to unveil a “digital strategy” two
years ago and still haven’t, nor do they show any urgency in doing so. And so
we remain with a body hampered in its ability to do its job because the Harper
government again fails to do their job and provide leadership. Just like almost
every other file . . .